11 Super Helpful Hulu Tips And Tricks

Maybe I’m being a bit presumptuous, but I think we all now know how to make the most of our Netflix experience. However, the same can’t be said for Hulu. Before I really took the time to explore the service, I naively thought Hulu’s customization and search options were way worse than Netflix’s. “Netflix is clearly the superior service when it comes to customization,” I foolishly said, probably with my nose in the air, stroking my twirled hipster mustache. Oh how wrong I was.

If you take the time to learn its features, Hulu is arguably the best streaming service out there when it comes to recommendation customization and search. This is proving once again that 2016 is a game-changing year for Hulu. Here is your cheat sheet to making the most of your Hulu subscription.

Utilize those epic Hulu Staff Picks.

We’ve mentioned this before, but Hulu’s staff picks are on point. It makes sense. More than anyone else on the planet, Hulu’s staff knows what the platform has and when, so they know what to get excited about. Staff picks range from the night before’s most exciting late night moments to the best onscreen duos (The Last Man on Earthand The X-Files are currently at the top of that list). Thanks to Hulu’s Staff Picks I’ve learned two things: 1) Someone employed by Hulu really loves Ink Master. 2) I now really like watching Ink Master.

Get a film degree on the cheap with the Criterion Collection.

There are a lot of Criterion movies on Hulu, so if you’ve been meaning to add some cinematic culture to your streaming life, this is where you need to be. The easiest way to access the collection is through the top menu. Under movies, select Criterion, and say hello to classic cinema heaven. However, one of the coolest and most underrated parts of Hulu’s Criterion Collection are its guest curators. Want to know the film influences for the ever-symmetrical Wes Anderson, the iconic 50’s and 60’s French sex symbol Brigitte Bardot, or the brilliant Richard Linklater, known for directing Dazed and Confusedand Boyhood? Hulu has you covered.

Upgrade your Flash player to better your streaming experience.

If you’re having problems playing (or not playing) Hulu’s videos, double check your Flash settings. Your Adobe Flash Player needs to be at version 11.1 or above in order to accurately play Hulu’s videos. Most smart browsers automatically upgrade Flash or ask you to upgrade Flash as the problem occurs, but if your video quality isn’t where you want it to be, it never hurts to upgrade. Also, here’s a helpful official Hulu document, which lists the exact specs your computer needs to have to run videos at 480p (SD) and the coveted 720p (HD).

Set up your queue and favorites list.

This is an obvious, but essential, one. Setting up your queue and favorites list makes streaming Hulu worlds easier, especially if you’re streaming the service on a Roku or similar TV streaming device. So what’s the difference between your favorites and your queue?

Your favorites, true to its title, are there to help you keep up with your favorite shows and movies. You can add a show or movie to your favorites list by clicking the little Favorite button on that program’s page, located next to that program’s star rating. Once added to your favorites, Hulu will then personalize its site to make recommendations similar to those selections. Also, you can create email notifications for your favorites so Hulu can email you when a new episode has been added or when your favorite show is expiring. Your queue is where new episodes from your favorite shows will appear. Essentially, your favorites are where you customize your personality for Hulu’s algorithms and your queue is where you can find the those sweet unwatched fruits of your streaming labor. Taking the time to establish your queue from your desktop will make streaming from your TV worlds easier.

Become familiar with that drop down menu.

Netflix still reigns supreme when it comes to meticulously dividing up its wares into categories and subcategories and sub sub categories, but Hulu’s quick menus are pretty helpful, especially if you’re into more obscure content. For reference, I’m talking about the drop down menus right beside the Hulu logo in the top, left-hand corner. These menus let you quickly jump from TV, Movies, Hulu Originals, and the much-sought after (if you’re a parent) Kids sections, but it’s that tempting ellipsis that I think is the coolest addition to this top menu. Those three dots are your shortcut to Hulu’s more obscure and international programming — Latino, British, Anime, Korean Drama, and Video Games. This surprising categories let you in on another Hulu secret: The platform has amazing international content.

Use the Hulu app to make your smartphone a remote.

Hulu

You’re watching Hulu on Roku, and you’re in the middle of your latest Saturday Night Live binge when you suddenly have an INTENSE urge to catch up on How to Get Away with Murder. But there’s a problem. The remote is all the way on the other side of the couch. What are you supposed to do? Move? Never. Capitalize on your laziness by downloading the Hulu app and using your phone as a stand-in remote. The best part is this lazy hack also works with Netflix and Netflix’s official app.

Get to know the settings menu when you’re playing Hulu videos.

If you’re an avid Hulu desktop watcher, then you already know that resizing your Hulu window is a nightmare. The video has to be a specific (and large) size, and the window typically lags. However, you can solve all of this frustration by using Hulu’s pop-out video option, under View Modes. This setting menu also lets you raise or lower the background lights for a more theatrical experience, control auto play, completely customize your closed captions (select the Options button under Closed Captions), adjust the quality of your streaming experience, and monitor how your video is buffering. If you don’t already know about this menu, it can transform your entire viewing experience. You’re welcome.

Learn how to use Hulu’s advanced search tools.

Hulu has a lot of diverse and overlapping content, which can seem overwhelming at times. Enter Hulu’s advanced search options. Advanced Video Search only becomes an option once you’ve searched for a program in Hulu’s main search bar. Once selected, you can search all the way down to a specific episode or by air dates. This is amazing for when you’re trying to figure out if Hulu has the contract to your favorite season of Project Runway.

Check out Hulu’s subreddit.

There’s a lot of great content on Hulu, but sometimes those Australian gems get buried beneath advertisements for Seinfeld. Here at Decider, we try to unearth those streaming gems and help you in your never-ending quest to find the next cool thing to stream, but we’re only so many humans, and there’s so much great content on Hulu. It’s time to get acquainted with the Hulu subreddit. This sub is pretty good for debating the pros and cons of Hulu’s bigger hits, like 11.22.63, but where it really excels is as a troubleshooting guide and as a crowdsourced viewing recommendation resource.

Embrace random selections with Hulu’s Magic Cube.

If you can’t think of anything to watch and have an open streaming mind, then Hulu’s Magic Cube may be your new favorite thing. The site generates some random words, and from those words, you select the type of show you’re in the mood for. You can add up to four of these descriptive words before you open up your Hulu cube and see your three recommendations. This site is a really fun way to finally make a decision when you have no idea what to watch, and Hulu’s suggestions are on point.

Put your subscription on hold.

If you’re going on vacation, you don’t want to pay for a subscription account you won’t be using. Hulu gets that, and they’re cool with your vaycay. If you head over to your Hulu Account options, you can actually put your subscription on hold from one week to 12 weeks. While your subscription is on hold, you won’t have access to your subscription, and you won’t be charged for it. At the end of the holding period, your subscription will resume automatically. Hulu gets our priorities.